Blackoutfest 2008 (Lucky Number 13) Preview
By Scott Winland, Matthew Toledo - 4/15/2008
The annual Blackoutfest art show will be opening across the street from The Union at Union Arts (Below Haffa's) on Thursday-Sat from 6pm-8pm. Its a group show featuring work by Tracy Duncan, Tessa & Jamie of the Never Evers, Jason Frederick from Ribs/Means/Spiveys, Matt Prescutti from Makebelieves, Kramer (of general Kramer awesomeness fame), Jeff S. (from The Makebelieves, Gaelan from Silo Circuit & Casula Future, Jonas Hart (responsible for some of the great live shots seen on the amn) and more. I'll try and update this asap (I didn't book the artists in this show though I bet they'd make one hellluva super-group....hmmmm.....)
Sadly, the downstairs bar won't be ready to open for Blackoutfest. Its a huge undertaking fixing everything that needs to taken care of down there, though tons of progress has been made in the past month. We'll get there.
At any rate, I'm super excited for the fest. We've got TONS of great bands coming in this weekend! I got scared a few months ago when I thought about the fact that its #13! Nah, just superstition. Right? What could possibly go wrong? Its almost comedic. Its been a strange month. There have been some terribly discouraging moments like getting a phone call when out of town saying the bar was closed, friends losing their jobs, and of course hearing all the rumors and shit talk from mis-informed loudmouth drama-queens and jaded scenesters.
The fact remains that The Union has and always will strive to be the biggest supporters of local and touring underground music that it can be. Its history proves that. Most of this started when Lou Lenart (owner) and his buddies were studying at OU in the 80s, long before Lou bought the bar. They brought in top notch nationally touring hardcore acts and hosted all-ages shows at least twice a week. They brought the kind of stuff most kids in southern Ohio could only read about in zines.
Since then (with a huge respectful shout out to Eric Gunn who brought so many great shows to The Union--its scary, Mike Bushnell before Eric, Tim Peacock, Ray Houska, Brian Ostrander, The Aquabear Legion and all others who have been responsible for bringing in great acts) The Union has hosted the likes of The White Stripes, Guided By Voices, FEAR, Dave Davies from The Kinks, Jesus Lizard, Jonathan Richman, Dead Moon, Holly Golightly, The Broke Revue, Gris Gris, Lost Sounds, Hum, Brainiac, Viva L'American Death Ray Music, The Preacher's Kids, Times New Viking, Birthday Suits, This Moment In Black History, Beat The Devil, The Econothugs, Enon, New Bomb Turks, Gaunt, Hairy Patt Band, Thinking Fellers Union, Cows, Corrosion of Conformity, The Meat Puppets, MDC, High on Fire, MC Chris, The Black Keys, Deadly Snakes, The Reigning Sound, The Country Teasers, The Real Kids, Man Man, The Ataris, The Fleshtones (the list goes on and on) and a ridiculous amount great local and touring acts that no one outside of Athens has ever heard of, though I would bet many of them were the best shows in the venue's history.
I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that the best shows I've ever seen (with a couple exceptions: Ramones & Elvis Costello at Ohio University's Memorial Auditorium, Gris Gris in the Snail's basement) have been at 18 West Union Street. Blackoutfest is a celebration of this. Here's to perseverance mofos! Now on to this year's specifics, and man oh man have we got a good one for ya this year.
BLACKOUTFEST XIII
April 17-19th @ The Union
Thurs. - Fri. doors open at 5pm
Sat. doors open at 2pm
adv. tickets on sale at Haffa's and The Union
$10 per night or $25 for all three
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Blackoutfest 2008 Schedule For Thursday |
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| 1:00 AM | Tyler Keith & The Preacher's Kids | 
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| 12:00 AM | Psychedelic Horseshit |
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| 11:00 PM | Wheels on Fire |
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| 10:15 PM | Grafton |
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| 9:30 PM | Pink Reason | |
| 8:45 PM | Dragline Bros. |
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| 8:00 PM | Neverevers |
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| 7:15 PM | Casual Future |
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| 6:30 PM | Spooktober |
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| 6:00 PM | Mishka Shubaly (from Beat The Devil) | |
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Blackoutfest 2008 Schedule For Friday |
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| 1:00 AM | This Moment In Black History |
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| 12:00 AM | Greg Cartwright (from The Reigning Sound / The Oblivians) | |
| 11:00 PM | Dan Melchior Und Das Menace |
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| 10:15 PM | Thomas Function | |
| 9:30 PM | Cheap Time | |
| 8:00 PM | The Makebelieves |
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| 8:45 | El Jesus De Magico |
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| 7:15 PM | Paper Machetes |
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| 6:30 PM | The Revulvas |
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| 6:00 PM | Goodbye Goats |
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Blackoutfest 2008 Schedule For Saturday |
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| 1:00 AM | Terrible Twos |
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| 12:00 AM | Birthday Suits |
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| 11:00 PM | Necropolis | |
| 10:15 PM | Dropdead Sons |
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| 9:30 PM | Ribs (Members of Spiveys, The Means, Beat The Devil, and Bob City) | |
| 8:45 PM | Guinea Worms |
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| 8:00 PM | Kurt Vile | |
| 7:15 PM | Grave Blankets |
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| 6:30 PM | Silo Circuit |
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| 5:45 PM | October Fist |
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| 5:00 PM | Red Dahlia |
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| 4:15 PM | The Sad Bastards |
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| 3:30 PM | The Pages | |
For more links to the bands, music, videos and even more info please visit : http://www.myspace.com/blackoutfest
We also have some great Blackoutfest t-shirts again this year - $10 each on sale at the shows. Limited supply, so don't wait too long if you want a shirt!
